Used Test: 1976 Kawasaki KH400 Nice Bikes Come Last
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure|October 2019
The KH took a very different approach to riding than the famous H1 and H2 from Kawasaki. And that made it special.
Used Test: 1976 Kawasaki KH400 Nice Bikes Come Last
Riding around on a KH400 on a sunny afternoon was a very pleasant experience. The Kawasaki triple started easily and ran reliably. It was reasonably quick, very smooth, and handled well. It seemed like a capable, practical and very nice bike.

And that, in a way, was precisely its problem. Kawasaki’s two-stroke triples of the 1970s weren’t known for being pleasant or reasonable, let alone nice. They were fast, loud, ill-handling sons of bitches that were too much for many riders – and that was a big part of their appeal. But the KH, which was launched in 1976, was too soft and civilised to live up to that reputation.

To be fair, this wasn’t really Kawasaki’s fault. The triples’ mad, bad image had been built on the 500cc H1 that had been unleashed in 1969, and the even more outrageous 750cc H2 that had followed it in 1972. Those models had been hugely popular in the USA, in particular, where their blend of power and light weight had given them unbeatable acceleration.

In those early days the Kawas’ sometimes dangerously poor handling and braking were not regarded as serious flaws, especially in the States where straight-line performance, especially from stop-lights, was all-important. Nor was the two stroke’s horrendous thirst a significant drawback in the US, where petrol was so cheap.

But it wasn’t long before the smoky stroker’s noise and thirst came to the attention of the powerful Environmental Protection Agency in the States. Emission laws were tightened, and 1975 was the final year for the mighty H2 750, which still managed to earn a Cycle World magazine test headline of ‘Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty’ in that year, despite having been detuned.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2019-Ausgabe von Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2019-Ausgabe von Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISUREAlle anzeigen
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin

Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now

time-read
2 Minuten  |
October 2024
BMW R 12 nineT
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

BMW R 12 nineT

Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track

time-read
2 Minuten  |
October 2024
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX

After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff

time-read
2 Minuten  |
October 2024
Portuguese Perambulations
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Portuguese Perambulations

Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored

time-read
8 Minuten  |
October 2024
Highway to Heaven
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Highway to Heaven

Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...

time-read
9 Minuten  |
October 2024
Battlaxes at the ready!
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Battlaxes at the ready!

We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet

time-read
6 Minuten  |
October 2024
Ducati Riding Experience
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Ducati Riding Experience

When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...

time-read
7 Minuten  |
October 2024
Four pot flyer
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Four pot flyer

Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...

time-read
8 Minuten  |
October 2024
Eastern adventurer
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Eastern adventurer

With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry

time-read
10 Minuten  |
October 2024
First Time Lucky?
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

First Time Lucky?

It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.

time-read
9 Minuten  |
October 2024